Technology

The Firsts have fashioned themselves as gods thanks to technologies so advanced they seem like supernatural powers. These technological wonders are called Aspects and Attributes. Cool trick, right? And way to not just call them like, say, inventions—that would be so pedestrian.

Aspects are the gods' and goddesses' ability to alter their minds and grant themselves the powers to "transform themselves into gods" and "[strengthen] their bodies and [intensify] their wills." This allows them to wield their Attributes, powers and weapons that "[fall] with a force like magic upon those against whom they turned them" (4.346). In other words, don't mess with these people or they'll put a divine whooping on you.

But there are other bits of technology in Lord of Light, symbols that dig deeper into the thematic heart of the novel.

Reincarnation Nation

For starters, forget jetpacks. Why hasn't science invented reincarnation machines?

Unlike Aspects and Attributes, resurrection machines and pray-o-mats are pieces of technology the gods have let spread throughout the human realm. Buy why? Because, like Aspects and Attributes, they are used to keep the humans in a social class below the gods.

The resurrection machines are, as the name implies, used to resurrect people into new bodies. They are run by the Masters of Karma, and when used with mind probes, the Masters of Karma can "read over [one's] past life, weigh the karma, and determine your life that is yet to come" (2.158). Pray-o-mats are machines that allow citizens to pay for the right to pray. The more you pay and pray, the better your chances of entering a better caste in your next life (2.184).

But what's a caste? To put it simply, a caste system divides a society into different level, or castes. Each level comes with a certain amount of social, economic, and political power. Those on top receive the lion's share of each, while those on the bottom get a whole lot of nothing.

In other words, both types of technology are a form of social control. By owning the resurrection machines, the Masters of Karma ensure that their friends, family, and themselves (obviously) remain on top of the caste system. Those who attempt to oppose the system get knocked to the bottom of society—if they're lucky enough to remain human at all.

Even so, that doesn't mean there isn't any opposition to such a form of social inequality. To unpack this, be sure to check out our thoughts on Accelerationism elsewhere in this section.